THE MANSION is a project I lead in my living space in Singapore called Newton Mansion - continuously since late 2017. Having struggled with adapting to large metropolis life duress, I have reclaimed peace by interacting with this peaceful habitat.
Mansions are Singapore’s 4-storey blocks of houses on the verge of extinction. Lack of space on the island poses direct threat to the houses that are smaller and older. Even 30 years is considered old for such a building and they are being taken down regularly and rapidly. Many Mansions were demolished in the recent months, even if they carry significant community and heritage value.
The narrative of the book is built around the text of the Mansion housing contract from 1970’ (still in use) and accompanied by the analog and digital photographs.
The contract used at Mansions is a very old-fashioned document, phrased in a language rarely used anymore. In combination with the contemplative photography it becomes poetic, meditative and soothing. The contract content prioritizes the comfort of the residents in almost every paragraph - approach unheard of in the context of modern real estate.
The book is constructed in a way, that the reader can shift, mix and match the pages and build their own story. I would like to allow this instead of connecting the pages into a classic stitched book. It encourages the adaptation process visualization through composing own book sequence, and reflects on our own adaptability.
